Harbaugh Wins AP Coach Of The Year: Report

ANN ARBOR, MI — The University of Michigan's football coach Jim Harbaugh won Associated Press college football coach of the year Friday, multiple news outlets reported.

Harbaugh led Michigan to an 12-1 record and its first-ever berth in the college football playoff, as well as leading Michigan to its first Big Ten championship in 17 years.

Harbaugh is also Michigan's first coach to the award and the first from the Big Ten since Penn State’s Joe Paterno in 2005.

"It’s a tremendous reflection on the entire staff, players," Harbaugh told AP. "Everybody shares in it. A rising tide lifts all ships."

Harbaugh received 22 of 53 first-place votes and 103 points from a panel of AP Top 25 voters to finish ahead of Cincinnati's Luke Fickell, who had 16 first-place votes and 88 points.

Harbaugh entered his seventh season on a hot seat after going 2-4 in the Big Ten's abbreviated schedule in 2020 and for losing all five games against Michigan's biggest rival the Ohio State Buckeyes.

However, Harbaugh led Michigan to a 42-27 victory over the Buckeyes this season, en route to a Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff berth.

No. 2 Michigan (12-1) faces No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the College Football Playoff on Dec. 31 at the Orange Bowl.